The present invention relates to a laser scanning microscope.
The following represents the prior art:
Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy, Second Edition, Plenum Press, New York and London 1995, page 519, FIG. 6: Fiber coupling optics, page 595, FIG. 14: Telecentric system for a plurality of detection beam paths;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,433: Coupling optics for detection beam paths;
DE 4323129 A1, column 6: Confocal apertures which can be centered and varied with respect to diameter;
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,444,528, 5,377,003, 5,317,379, and 5,216,484: AOTF;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,350, EP 283256 A1, WO 90/00754: Fiber connection between laser and scanning unit.
It is an object to provide an improved laser scanning microscope.
In accordance with the invention, an arrangement and corresponding method are provided for coupling radiation, preferably laser radiation, into a scanning head with a scanning unit in at least two dimensions. The radiation is focussed on an object via a microscope objective via at least one light-conducting fiber which is coupled with the scanning head. A collimator is arranged downstream of the fiber end of the scanning head for collimating the radiation exiting in a divergent manner at the fiber end.